the photographs and diary of a bimbling boomer

Pause/paws …

I have offered my help (she was supposed to say no, but didn’t!) to K who, being a single parent of an ASD child and doing a post grad student year, is finding life a little full on at the moment. Travel plans have been paused and I shall be child minding on inset days and after school for a few months. Roaming will be cut back to half terms and easter holidays, but as I said to K when I offered I’ve scratched the itch, and as I was due to be here ’til January anyway I’m only holding off for 6 months.

I’m sure by now you all must realise what a huge sacrifice this is on my part. I can’t stand nearly 10 year old boys, especially of the smart type who ask questions they delight in knowing that I don’t know the answers to and anyway only ask to demonstrate superiority. However, especially when it comes to human biology and medical matters, I occasionally manage to surprise the resident Smart Arse – sorry I mean Smart One. Anyway what use is all this knowledge about maths, chemistry and physics to an almost 10 year old? It’s not as if he’s about to get himself a high flying job any moment.
What I really, really hate about the Smart One tho’ is that he’s such an all rounder, being ASD he’s not into team sport as his coordination can be crap, he loves Xcountry running (which he informs us helps him to relax as it switches his brain off), he’s also into drama club and cubs, has loads of friends and has a really good handle on how to manage his ASD – an atypical atypical if you will. As a neurotypical I find it sickening that he is so, well … well adjusted (most of the time!!!)

As I can’t stand the boy I have to spend so much time with I’ve had to console myself, and have let a little girl into my life. She’s small, pretty and dainty, loves cuddles and snuggling and happily pees on my feet when overexcited. She’s a Labradoodle x Bichon Frise, 12 weeks old, all white fluff with apricot tips (and we don’t mention the needle thingie that’s happening in a couple of days without covering her ears). As my over channel wanderings are in hiatus I have time to train her and for her (cover her ears again) to have her little operation and be old enough for the ( ears…) other necessary needle thingie. The stuff the poor girlie has to go through just to be Nurse Who’s companion …

« For my part, I travel not to go anywhere,
but to go.
I travel for travel’s sake.
The great affair is to move. »
– Robert Louis Stevenson,
‘Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes’

« The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow if I can.
Pursuing it with eager feet
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.
And wither then? I cannot say.